Subtle Invitation
by maybesomeday8
Summary: When Lane takes it upon herself to get Rory dating again and places a personal ad in the newspaper, who's going to be the lucky man that responds? Future/AU-ish Trory, L/L
1. If You

Disclaimer : All things GG are not mine, but ASP's. No copyright infringement intended.  
Author : Shay (tlcforever@hotmail.com)  
Rating : PG-13  
Pairing : Established pairings for L/L & P/J. References to R/D & T/K. Eventual T/R   
Spoilers : Anything up through season 3 is fair game, though I'll probably be selective about it.  
Distribution : If you want it, take it. Just let me know.  
Feedback : Tames the wild beast. Or something. I love feedback and will love you if you give it. :)  
Authors Note : Bleh. Okay, so this idea has been floating around in my head the past few days and I just can't take it anymore. I can't. It's driving me crazy, so I decided to write it down. Updates for this story are going to be far and few between, but I promise I'll do my best.   
  
  
  
  
  


**Subtle Invitation  
Part 01.**  
_.."I only wanted you to be there when I opened up my eyes".._  


  
  
  
  
  
  
Twenty-six year old Rory Gilmore opened an eye, making note of the time displayed on the fuzzy pink clock on her bedside table. Stretching underneath the blankets, she opened the other eye and stared up at the ceiling. Today was the hardest day for her, for today was the two year anniversary of the accident that had claimed the life of her high school sweetheart - and fiancé, Dean Forester. It had been the same cold and wet December day that they had been driving in, heading back to her hometown of Stars Hollow, Connecticut for the wedding of her cousin Jess Mariano and close friend, Paris Gellar. It had been snowing heavily and they had decided to pull over to the side of the road until it slowed down a little. The two had been sitting in Dean's SUV for a little over an hour when suddenly the squeal of tires was heard and then the sound of crunching metal and broken glass cut through the frigid air. According to the police report, another car had been going too fast for the weather conditions and had hit a patch of ice on the road. Unable to stop, the car had slammed into the drivers side of the SUV, killing Dean instantly. Rory had escaped with minor physical injuries, but suffered from something far worse - a broken heart.   
  
Closing her eyes, Rory forced the tears back and threw her legs over the side of the bed, slipping on her slippers as she got up. Grabbing her robe, she padded across the room and down the hall, to where her roommate, and lifelong best friend, Lane Kim was curled up, watching Saturday morning cartoons. She glanced up when Rory entered the room and gave her a sympathetic look. Rory shrugged it off and headed into the kitchen, pouring a cup of coffee and opening the fridge in attempt to find something to eat. As usual, there was nothing but cartons of take out food. Biting her lip, she grabbed a random one, found a fork and joined Lane in the living room.   
  
The two sat on the couch in silence, watching as the Scooby Doo gang solved yet another mystery. When the show cut to commercial, Lane glanced over at her friend, who was staring down into the chinese carton, a pained look on her face. Reaching over, she shook Rory's form slightly. "Hey, you okay?"  
  
"We had chinese before we left," Rory responded, sounding as if she were a thousand miles away.   
  
Lane sighed and tugged the food out of her hand and set it on the table. "Rory, you do this every year. I know you miss him, but you really need to move on."  
  
Rory shook her head. "I can't."  
  
Sensing the tears were about to fall, Lane scooted over and gave her a big hug, letting her cry on her shoulder.  
  
  
******  
  
  
"Sorry, I'm busy tonight," Tristan DuGrey said faintly to the blonde in front of him. She frowned.  
  
"Oh, well. Some other time, then."  
  
"Yeah, some other time..."  
  
The woman handed him her card and drifted off into the sea of people. Tristan glanced down at the card in his hand, sighed and tossed into the trash. The man next to him shook his head in disbelief. "Man, DuGrey, what is your problem?"  
  
For what seemed to be the first time, Tristan acknowledged his cousin and business partner. "What?"  
  
Josh DuGrey shook his head again. "That's the fourth babe that has asked you out today and you've turned them all down."  
  
"I'm busy tonight."  
  
"Yeah, right," Josh scoffed. "What could be so important that you passed up a date with four beautiful ladies?"  
  
Tristan glared at him for a minute. "I've got work to do."  
  
"That's all you ever do, Tris. Forget about Karen, man. She isn't worth it."  
  
"Whatever," Tristan dismissed, getting up from the table they were sitting at. "I'll see you back at the office."  
  
Josh watched him go, a frown on his handsome face. Tristan had been in a funk ever since his relationship with Karen Mankowski had come to an end, earlier that year. He didn't know the whole story, of course, but what he did know is that his cousin was planning on proposing to her, but had come home from a business trip, only to find her in bed with one of his best friends. It had been a tough break, but he expected him to bounce back quickly, like he normally did. This hadn't happened yet, obviously and he was beginning to worry. Slowly a grin spread across his face, an idea forming in his head. He knew how to get Tristan back into the world of living...  
  
  
******  
  
  
It was a week later that Lane had a revelation. She had been sitting at the kitchen table in the apartment she and Rory shared in New York's upper west side, flipping idly through the newspaper in search of a job. She had graduated from NYU with a teaching degree, but had been unable to find a suitable position as a music teacher. Sighing, she closed the paper and went to refold it when the ads on the back caught her eye. The personal ads. Grinning mischievously to herself, she gazed over them and then down to the number at the bottom of the page. Rory would probably kill her if she did, but it was time for her to get over Dean and what better way to do that, then go out with a bunch of random guys? Deciding to do it, she grabbed the nearby pad of paper and after a few minutes, had the perfect ad composed. Dialing the number, she officially placed it. The operator informed her that it would appear in the following weeks issue and Lane hung up, smirking. She may not have found a job, but she had found the solution to her friends dating phobia. Folding the paper, she dropped her glass in the sink and headed into her room.  
  
  
*****  
  
  
"Come on, just let me set you up," Josh said again, staring at his cousin, who was seated behind the large oak desk.  
  
Tristan groaned and ran a hand through his hair. "No, Josh. As much as I appreciate your concern about my personal life, I'd rather not be stuck out with whatever bimbo you pick out for me."  
  
Josh leaned forward in his chair and smirked, something that seemed to run in the family. "What if I set you up with a girl of substance? Someone with the looks and the brains to back it up?"  
  
"Do you even know a girl like that?" Tristan rebuked.   
  
"No, but I can find one, I'm sure," Josh grinned.  
  
Another groan came from Tristan and he shook his head. "Have my cousin go out and pick up a girl, for me. Great, no. I don't think so."  
  
"Come on, DuGrey. Just one date, I swear. You haven't gone out with anyone in months, it could be therapeutic for you."  
  
Tristan rolled his eyes and sighed. Josh wasn't going to give up, he knew that. And really, what could one date hurt? "Fine. One date and if it sucks, I'm holding you accountable."  
  
The previous smirk reappeared and he stood up. "I'll take all blame."  
  
"Yeah, yeah," Tristan muttered, waving him out of the room. Josh left without a complaint, shutting the door behind him. Now that his cousin had agreed to go, all he had to do was find a girl that was not only beautiful, but smart and would be able to hold his interest. Stopping by his office, he grabbed his coat and headed out into the hustle and bustle of New York's streets. Every decent looking woman he passed, he took a good look at, resulting in quite a few disgusted glares being thrown his way, but it didn't deter him. After walking a good ten blocks, he sighed. This wasn't going to work. Turning around, he started back in the direction of the office, only to stop dead in his tracks. Grinning to himself, he dug in his pockets for some change and grabbed the first newspaper he saw. Time for desperate measures.  
  
  
  
******  
  
  
  
"No, no, no!" Rory exclaimed, glaring at Lane from her seat at the restaurant they were eating at.  
  
Lane grinned. "Oh, come on, Rory. It's not like you have to actually date the guy, just go out, have a decent time and come home and whine about he talked with his mouth full or how he didn't know anything substantial about the life and times of Sylvia Plath. It'll be good for you."  
  
Rory shook her head vehemently. "No! I can't believe you did this to me. You're supposed to be my friend."  
  
"I am your friend," Lane protested. "That's why I did it. You've done nothing but work yourself to the wire the past two years. You're young and you know Dean wouldn't want you sitting around, mourning him. He'd want you to be happy."  
  
"I am happy," Rory retorted, though without much conviction.  
  
"Rory."  
  
"Fine, I'm not happy!" Rory conceded. "I just don't see how going on multiple blind dates is going to help me."  
  
"You're 26 years old, you've only had two boyfriends your entire life. It's time for you to do casual dating. Ask your mom, I'm sure she'll back me up on that."  
  
Rory sighed, glancing down at her plate and then back at her friend. "Okay, fine. I'll go out with this guy."  
  
Lane squealed in excitement and started raving about what she should wear and how she should do her hair. Rory managed to pay a little bit of attention, even as her mind began to wander. What had she agreed to?  
  
  
******  
  
Hehe. Got an idea on where it's going? Whatever. Don't expect an update anytime soon, but it won't be more then a month, promise!   
  
-- Shay  



	2. Really Need Me

Disclaimer : All things GG are not mine, but ASP's. No copyright infringement intended.  
Author : Shay (tlcforever@hotmail.com)  
Rating : PG-13  
Pairing : Established pairings for L/L & P/J. References to R/D & T/K. Eventual T/R   
Spoilers : Anything up through season 3 is fair game, though I'll probably be selective about it.  
Distribution : If you want it, take it. Just let me know.  
Feedback : Tames the wild beast. Or something. I love feedback and will love you if you give it. :)  
Authors Note : Hey, whaddya know it didn't take me a thousand light years to get the new chapter done. I should be doing my homework instead of this, but who am I to ignore it when inspiration hits? :) Anyways, onward we go..  
  
  
  
  


**Subtle Invitation  
Part 02.**  


  
  
  
  
  
"I can't believe I let you talk me into this," Rory muttered as she and Lane stood outside the restaurant later that night, trying to hail a cab home.   
  
Lane turned to face her friend, the snowy wind blowing her scarf around her head madly and she grinned. "I didn't talk you into anything. You agreed all by yourself."  
  
"You really need to stop talking to Paris," Rory proclaimed, narrowing her eyes at her friend. "Her powers of persuasion are rubbing off on you a little too much for my liking."  
  
"Actually, this was all Lorelai Antics," Lane smirked, opening the door as a cab finally pulled up to the curb for them. Rory watched her friend get in, glanced heavenward and sighed before climbing in after her.  
  
  
  
******  
  
  
"So," Josh announced, appearing in the doorway of Tristan's office two days later. "I've found you a date."  
  
"Great," Tristan said unenthusiastically, not looking up from his computer.  
  
Smiling devilishly, Josh stepped the rest of the way into the room and dropping onto one of the leather chairs that sat across from the desk. "She's everything you'd want in a woman. Beautiful, intelligent, witty, independent. Who knows, she just might be the one," he said suggestively, wiggling his eyebrows at his cousin, who glanced up just in time to see it.  
  
Surpressing a grin, Tristan shook his head. "One date," he reminded him.  
  
"For now." Josh conceded, winking. "You should call her later."  
  
"No."  
  
"C'mon man, I bet she sounds sexy. Maybe you could get her to talk dirty," Josh smirked.  
  
Tristan rolled his eyes. "I agreed to a date. No prior or post contact. No phone calls, email, post cards. We'll go have dinner, we'll catch a movie, I'll put her in a cab and be done with it."  
  
Josh gave him a disapproving look. "DuGrey, DuGrey, DuGrey.."  
  
"Forget it, Josh."  
  
"Fine, fine," Josh said in resignation, getting up from the chair. "I'll call her and set the date."  
  
"Great," Tristan responded, his eyes turned back to his work. Josh stood there for a moment, his blue eyes clearly showing his confusion at how much his cousin had changed from his player days, which had come to an abrupt halt when he had met Karen, a little over a year ago. Shaking his head, he exited the office, closing the door quietly behind him.  
  
  
******  
  
  
It was evening time, a rare weeknight that Rory was actually home and not slaving over an article to meet a deadline. The two roommates had ordered pizza, consumed illegal amounts of caffeine and sugar, while chilling on the couch, wearing their pajamas and watching the Top 5 Mockable Movies, as approved by Lorelai.   
  
It was after eleven when Lane suddenly jumped up and grabbed the phone, glaring playfully at her friend. Rory gave her a weary look but was daring enough to ask. "What?"  
  
Lane giggled and jumped back onto the couch. "Let's call your voice mail!"  
  
Rory scrunched her nose up in confusion. "I don't have a voice mail."  
  
"Your personal-ad voice mail, silly," Lane grinned. "Let's see how many hunk-a-burning men are just waiting for you to fall for their charms."  
  
"Probably none," Rory said quietly, not quite sure why that bothered her.   
  
"There's only one way to find out," Lane said firmly, punching in the numbers necessary to access the messages. Putting the phone back to her ear, she listened for a moment before squealing loudly.   
  
"Why are you suddenly acting all Sweet Valley High-ish?" Rory asked with a hint of a grin.   
  
"Fifteen messages!" Lane stated proudly, ignoring the previous statement.  
  
"What?" Rory exclaimed, "No way!"  
  
Lane, still grinning, passed over the phone to Rory, who listened, her face turning to disbelief when the automated voice announced she indeed did have fifteen new messages. Confused, but somewhat flattered, she handed the phone back to Lane, who leaned over to the end table, hitting the speaker phone button. "We have to listen to them."  
  
Rory merely shrugged in agreement and the two huddled over the speaker portion of the phone, entering the given password as needed. A beep sounded through the apartment and then a nasal and annoying male voice followed.  
  
"Um, hello. My name is Garrett and I noticed in your ad, you mentioned that you enjoy classic books. I do as well. Perhaps sometime we could meet and read them together? If this sounds appealing to you, my phone number is 555-2739. I do hope to hear from you soon."  
  
After the beep sounded, signaling the end of that message, the two girls exchanged looks. "Well.. um.. at least he sounds well educated," Rory offered.  
  
Lane shook her head. "We still have fourteen to go."  
  
Nodding, Rory motioned for her to go on. A few seconds later the next message began to play. It was clear after a moment that this man was worse than the first, with his mumbling and extremely quiet voice. The next was omitted, because Rory announced the man sounded too much like her grandfather, which would just be gross. The next had the two scratching their heads in confusion, as it was a woman on the other end. Or maybe it was a man with a very high voice. Either way, it wasn't happening. The fifth started with a man clearing his throat and both Rory and Lane stared at each other with open mouths as the first words came from a very familiar voice.   
  
"Kirk?" They said simultaneously, bursting into loud laughter. Lane grabbed the phone and punched in the numeric number for pause, barely able to hold her hand still, as she was still doubled over laughing.  
  
"Oh. My. God," Rory gasped, tears of laughter in her eyes. "How. Did. He...." Her voice trailed off as another bout of giggles hit her.  
  
Lane shook her head and after a few moments and a couple deep breaths, she was able to control herself. "Well there you go. No need to look any further."  
  
"Forget it," Rory protested, biting her lower lip to keep from laughing again.   
  
"Wait till.." Lane started, but was interrupted when a flying pillow hit her in the face.  
  
"Not a word to my mother!" Rory stated. "She'd never let me live it down, especially after the way I teased her when he asked her out all those years ago."  
  
Lane let out a giggle at that. "I still can't believe he asked her out."  
  
Another giggle escaped Rory as the memory of her mother telling her about the said event replayed in her mind. Shaking her head to rid herself of those thoughts, she motioned towards the phone. "Should we listen to the rest of them?"  
  
"Definitely. Who knows, maybe there's one from Taylor, too," Lane teased.  
  
Rory shoved her friend playfully. "Shut up."  
  
"Or maybe Al."  
  
"Lane!"  
  
"Rune?"  
  
"I'm going to bed."  
  
"Okay, okay, I'm sorry," Lane apologized with a teasing glint in her eye. "Let's see if there's any non-potential stalkers in the bunch."  
  
Rory nodded and settled back in her spot on the couch. Lane skipped the rest of Kirk's message and went to the next. Out of the nine, there seemed to be one potential date, who sounded well mannered, educated and successful. The rest, however, failed to make them do anything but laugh. Finally, around one o'clock the next morning, the girls reached the last message. Lane surpressed a yawn and hit in the code. It was a second before a rich, husky voice echoed through the room. Rory sat up at the sound of his voice, her blue eyes widened. Lane, noticing such, turned up the volume on the phone. After listening to what he had to say, she glanced at her friend, who grinned and nodded.  
  
"That's the one."  
  
"You're sure?"  
  
Rory nodded again and Lane replayed the message, taking down the callers name and phone number. Smiling, she handed the paper over to the other woman, who gazed down at it, looking hopeful, but somewhat afraid.  
  
"What if he's some kind of mass murderer who stalks his prey through the personal ads?"  
  
Lane rolled her eyes. "There's no way a murderer could sound that sexy."  
  
"How do you know?" Rory asked stubbornly.  
  
"Because," Lane reasoned. "A man with that sexy of a voice has got to be good-looking and good-looking guys usually don't like getting blood on their hands."  
  
"Well, with logic like that," Rory deadpanned.  
  
"C'mon, Ror," Lane urged, nudging her friends shoulder with hers. "You'll call him, you'll go out, you'll have a good time. He'll promise to call, but never will and you'll never have to see him again."  
  
Rory sighed and nodded, glancing back down at the paper. Tristan, her mystery date.  
  
  
  
*******  
_end part 2._  
  
  
'k. I know this is short and has no Trory action, what-so-ever. But it's all I have. I'm sick, so cut me some slack, will ya :) I promise that the next chapter will be out soon and it *will* finally have some troryness. Stay tuned.  
  
  
-Shay  
  
  
_Feb 3. 2003  
2/15_  



	3. Baby, Just Reach Out

Disclaimer : All things GG are not mine, but ASP's. No copyright infringement intended.  
Author : Shay (tlcforever@hotmail.com)  
Rating : PG-13  
Pairing : Established pairings for L/L & P/J. References to R/D & T/K. Eventual T/R   
Spoilers : Anything up through season 3 is fair game, though I'll probably be selective about it.  
Distribution : If you want it, take it. Just let me know.  
Feedback : Tames the wild beast. Or something. I love feedback and will love you if you give it. :)  
Authors Note : Okay, to clear something up here, real quick. The person who left a message in the previous chapter was not Tristan. It was Josh, posing as Tristan to set up a date. K? Great. And second.. there's some Trory action in this one. Not quite what you may have hoped for, but that'll come in due time :)  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Subtle Invitation  
Part 03.**  


  
  
  
  
  
It was a few days later that Josh let himself into the penthouse apartment he and Tristan shared a few blocks from the office. It was really just Tristan's place, but he was staying with him until the house he was having built just outside the city was finished. Hanging his coat in the hall closet, he dropped his keys on the table next to the door and headed into the kitchen. Inside stood Natina, the cook who came in on the weekdays to cook their dinners, as neither had quite mastered that aspect of domesticated life just yet. Smiling in greeting, he headed to the refrigerator to grab a soda before sliding into one of the chairs seated on one side of the island, which is where Natina was currently stirring a pot of something. She smiled at him and went about her business, quite used to have him sitting there, watching as she cooked. Josh, who had never been allowed inside the kitchen as a child, found the whole making of a meal process fascinating. His ritual of watching Natina was interrupted a few minutes later, when the phone rang from the living room. Flashing the woman a charming grin, he got up and headed towards the source of the sound.  
  
  
*******  
  
  
"I can't do this," Rory protested, shoving the phone back at Lane, who gave her a disapproving look.  
  
"Yes, you can. And you're going to."  
  
"No, no way," she said firmly, backing away from the living room. Lane stared at her, her hands on her hips and a frown on her face.  
  
"Come on, Rory. Just call him, make a date and I promise I'll stop bothering you."  
  
"No."  
  
"Yes, come on," Lane demanded, thrusting the phone in the general direction of her friend.  
  
"I can't."  
  
Lane rolled her eyes and retracted her arm. Grabbing the piece of paper from its place on the end table, she sent Rory an irritated look. If she wasn't going to do it, she would. One way or another, she was going to get Rory out on this date. "Fine, I'll call him."  
  
Almost hesitantly, Rory stepped back into the living room, quietly crossing over and sitting back down next to Lane on the couch. Lane hit the on button and dialed the numbers, putting the phone to her ear. Rory leaned closer, so she could hear. After a few rings, the voice from the message answered.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
Lane didn't respond, but instead forced the phone on Rory, got up with a satisfied smile and disappeared in the direction of her room. Rory stared after her numbly, forgetting about the person on the other end until again he said.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
Timidly, she put the phone to her ear and took a deep breath. "Hi."  
  
  
  
******  
  
  
  
A confused look was present on Josh's face as a soft feminine voice finally broke the silence. Shifting the phone from one ear to the other, he sat back on the posh leather couch, putting his feet up on the coffee table. "Who is this?"  
  
There was silence again, on the other end for a second before there was a sigh. "This is um, Lorelai. A Tristan called and left this number in response to a personal ad in the newspaper..."   
  
Ah, so that was it. Grinning, Josh replied. "Yes, of course."  
  
"So um, is he there?"  
  
"This is he," Josh responded, thanking God, for the first time that he and Tristan sounded so much alike on the phone.  
  
"Oh," the woman omitted. "Well. Hi. God, this is awkward."  
  
Josh laughed, seemingly breaking the ice. The two settled into a light conversation, in which he found the mystery woman to be very witty and intelligent, both of which were just what his cousin needed. In the end, he set a date with her for the following Friday, to meet at a casual restaurant in the East Village. He jotted down a brief description of her and gave her one of Tristan as well. Once he hung up, he felt satisfied that this was indeed the woman to help his cousin to get over Karen and headed back into the kitchen where Natina had just finished dinner.  
  
  
  
*****  
  
  
Tristan sighed as he clicked save on his computer and closed the program he was working in, down. The office was quiet, except for the voices of some of the employees as they bid each other good-bye for the week. The December night outside was dark, thick white flakes falling from the sky in torrents, the people on the streets scurrying to get to where they were going so they could get where its warm as quickly as possible. A quick glance at the clock told him it was just after seven, meaning that Natina was probably just leaving the apartment, a nice hot meal waiting to be devoured sitting at home for him. He would have to settle for a nice hot reheated meal, however, as he was going to be stuck in the office for a good part of the night. A scowl appeared on his handsome face as he envisioned his cousin, sitting in front of the large screen TV, a plate of whatever delectable meal Natina had prepared for them tonight in one hand, the remote control in the other, his feet up on the table as he howled at a random television show.   
  
It was just the opposite of how it seemed it should be. He should be the irresponsible one, taking life as it came at him. But here he was, sitting pretty at the top of the family business, working as hard as he could just to keep the New York branch running smoothly. DuGrey Enterprises, a now world wide advertising company that had been born from the minds of his father and uncle, Josh's father, was not an easy company to run. Even with his business degree from Princeton, Tristan struggled to keep it together, all while Josh, who had also graduated from Princeton, the family university, ran through the streets of New York, acting as if he hadn't a care in the world. He should have objected when his father had asked him to take Josh onboard in New York, knowing what his cousin was like. He was just how he used to be, wild, oblivious to the rest of the world, focused on only one thing - women.   
  
A knock on his office door broke him out of his thoughts and he looked up to see his secretary standing in the doorway. "I'm leaving, Mr. DuGrey. Is there anything you need before I take off?"  
  
Tristan gave a shake of his head. "No, thanks, Melinda. Have a good weekend."  
  
Melinda nodded and offered a smile. "Thank you, Mr. DuGrey, you, too. I'll see you Monday."  
  
"Bye," Tristan replied, but she had already disappeared from view. Sighing again, he leaned back in his chair, rubbing the back of his neck to relieve some of the tension in the muscles. He had already been at work since six o'clock that morning, even after staying until well after midnight the previous day. Tonight didn't look like it was going to be any different. He was definitely looking forward to the Christmas break that was coming up, so he could go back to Hartford and just play the prodigal son for awhile, no worries about work. But he had to get through the current projects he was heading in order to get to go home. Closing his eyes and counting to ten, Tristan reopened them and dove back into his work.  
  
  
  
******  
  
  
"Yes, it's true," Rory sighed into the phone, three days later, as she rushed around the apartment, looking for a long lost shoe.  
  
"I don't believe it. She's a genius! The girl is an absolute genius. I'm jealous," Lorelai replied loudly from her home in Stars Hollow.  
  
A small grin spread across Rory's face and she shook her head in amusement. "It's not that big of a deal."  
  
"Not that big of a deal? Hon, this is a _huge_ deal."  
  
"No, it's not."  
  
"You had to go and inherit my stubborn gene, didn't you," Lorelai said, her voice taking on a mock sad tone.  
  
"You bet," Rory said softly before shouting a triumphant, "found you!" as she pulled the missing heel from underneath the couch.  
  
"Ow, sweetie, that was mommy's ear."  
  
"Sorry," Rory apologized, glancing at the clock. "I'm really running late for work now, Mom. I'll call you later so you can continue the gloating."  
  
"I was not gloating."  
  
"Whatever. I really have to go."  
  
"Aw, okay. I'll talk to you tonight, then."  
  
"Yep. Give Luke my love."  
  
"Will do. Bye, kiddo."  
  
"Bye, Mom."  
  
Hanging up, Rory rolled her eyes heavenward before shoving her foot into the now found shoe, grabbing her coat and keys and running out the door.  
  
  
******  
  
  
"So, Friday?" Tristan asked reluctantly, staring at his cousin from across the desk in his office.   
  
Josh nodded in confirmation, handing him a slip of paper. "There's the directions and the description she gave me of herself. Try not to be a complete ass, would ya?"  
  
Tristan gave him a look but conceded. "I'll be the perfect gentleman."  
  
"Good," Josh grinned, getting up. "I'm heading out, see you later."  
  
"We have," Tristan began to object loudly but his voice tapered off, as Josh had already disappeared from view. "a meeting," he finished, to himself. Shaking his head in annoyance, he folded the paper in half and stuck it in his pocket, grabbed a stack of folders and papers and headed out the door, towards the conference room.  
  
  
******  
  
  
_Friday afternoon._  
  
  
  
Rory stared at her reflection in the mirror that hung on the back of her bedroom door, eyeing herself critically. This was so weird, completely unlike her. She didn't casual date, she didn't go out with men she didn't know. With her luck, he probably was some kind of stalker or serial killer. She was jarred out of her thoughts, however, when Lane bounded back into her room, a dress draped over one arm.  
  
"Found it," she announced happily before frowning when she saw her friends expression. "What now?"  
  
"I don't know about this."  
  
Lane's face softened at the tone of her voice. "Come on, what's going on, now? I thought you were okay with this now."  
  
"I was," Rory said softly, sitting down next to Lane on the bed. "But now.. I don't know, I feel like I'm betraying him."  
  
Lane didn't have to ask who 'he' was. "He's gone, Ror. And you know he'd hate for you to live your life alone. But you have to take that first step to start living again."  
  
"I know," she sighed, wiping away the lone tear that had escaped her eye. "It just hurts."  
  
"I understand that," Lane said, a smile forming on her face. "But you can't spend the rest of your life mourning him. Just because you go out with other guys doesn't mean that you didn't love him."  
  
Rory exhaled loudly before turning to the woman next to her with a smile on her face. "You're right, it doesn't. I'm gonna go out with this guy tonight and have fun. Dean would want me to."  
  
"Good. Now that we've settled that, let's get you ready!" Lane giggled, pulling Rory back onto her feet and tossing the dress she had brought in, at her. Rory caught it easily and disappeared into the bathroom to change.  
  
  
******  
  
  
Tristan handed the cab driver the amount due as he slid out of the vehicle, eyeing the restaurant in front of him wearily. Leshko's was supposed to have amazing food, he knew some people from work that swore by the place, but it was looking a little intimidating at the moment. He inwardly laughed at that. A tiny restaurant like this one, nothing more then a hole in the wall place, with people filing in and out at a records pace, was intimidating _him_. That was ridiculous. Running a hand through his hair, he took a deep breath and headed inside.  
  
The seats were white, the tables stone, the lighting tinted red, giving the place a homey yet sophisticated feeling. There was a bar on the far side, the dining room filling the majority of the space. The atmosphere was welcoming, groups of people sitting at the tables, enjoying their meals, having a drink or two, releasing the stress from the work week. At the bar, the bartender was laughing with a customer as he replaced the man's empty drink with a full one. Gazing around, he wondered how he was ever going to find his date for the night among the crowd.  
  
Suddenly a red-headed waitress popped up next to him with a warm smile. "Can I help you?"  
  
Stepping back in surprise, he managed to smile back. "Maybe. I'm supposed to be meeting someone here."  
  
The woman nodded. "Sure. What's her name?"  
  
At that, Tristan pulled a piece of paper from his coat pocket, squinting to read the writing in the dim lighting. "Um.. Lorelai."  
  
"Lorelai, huh." The waitress paused, looking thoughtful. "Oh, you must mean Rory."  
  
"Is she here?" Tristan asked, his blue eyes inquisitive, but thoughtful at the same time.   
  
Nodding, she began walking further into the restaurant. "Follow me."  
  
Tristan let out a deep breath and followed her through the throngs of people. Eventually she came to a stop near the back, away from the large groups. Sitting in the corner was a young woman, about his age he suspected, with long dark brown hair, that was hanging loose around her face. A large cup of coffee sat in front of her and she was checking the watch on one slim and delicate looking wrist as they approached.   
  
"Rory," the waitress said loudly, causing the woman to look up.   
  
"Jen," she greeted with a warm smile, which faltered just slightly when she noticed the man standing behind her.   
  
"This guy here said he was looking for you."  
  
Rory offered a small grin, standing to greet him. Jen took this as an okay and disappeared back into the crowd. "You must be Tristan," she greeted, holding out a hand in greeting.  
  
Tristan nodded and returned the greeting, taking her hand. "And you're Lorelai?"  
  
"Legally, yes," Rory replied, as they sat down at the table. "But I prefer Rory, really."  
  
"Alright, Rory then."  
  
The two settled into a somewhat uncomfortable silence then, as Rory took the time to study him. He seemed familiar, but she just couldn't place him. Finally, she decided she was just imagining things and opened her mouth to ask. "So, have you always lived here?"  
  
Tristan shook his head, thankful that she was at least attempting to hold a conversation. "Ah, no. I'm from Connecticut, actually."  
  
Surprise filtered across her face and her blue eyes widened. "You're kidding? I'm from Connecticut, too!"  
  
"No way," Tristan said disbelievingly. "Where, if you don't mind me asking."  
  
"Stars Hollow. You?"  
  
"Hartford. For most of my life, anyway."  
  
"What do you mean, most of your life?" Rory asked before smiling shyly. "Sorry, just the natural reporter in me, I guess."  
  
"It's okay," Tristan dismissed. "I grew up in Hartford but was sent to school in North Carolina when I was sixteen."  
  
Something about that struck a chord inside Rory, but she chose to ignore it. "Oh, wow. That must've been quite a change."  
  
Tristan scoffed at that. "You have no idea."  
  
Rory sat, looking contemplative for a moment. "So Tristan.. do you have a last name or do you follow Madonna's one-name theory?"  
  
He chuckled at that, his blue eyes twinkling under the lights. "As fantastic as I am, I haven't quite reached the single named caliber. DuGrey. Tristan DuGrey."  
  
That rendered Rory speechless for a moment as her mind whirled about, demanding that there was a link between herself and this man. "Oh, my God," she gasped suddenly, a hand flying to her mouth, her eyes wide.  
  
Tristan gave her a concerned look. "Is there something wrong?"  
  
"Oh, my God," she repeated, letting her hand drop back down to the table. "This is unbelievable."  
  
"What?" Tristan asked, obviously confused.  
  
"I know, we, you, wow," Rory stuttered, before breaking out into a huge grin.   
  
"Still not following you here."  
  
"I know you!" Rory finally managed to spit out.  
  
Tristan's brow furrowed. "What?"  
  
"We went to Chilton together," Rory explained. "God, I can't believe I didn't put it together until now."  
  
"Completely lost," Tristan said.  
  
At that, Rory's face fell. He didn't remember her. "You don't remember."  
  
"I'm sorry," he apologized.   
  
"No, it's okay. I shouldn't have expected you to. It's not like we were friends or anything."  
  
Tristan felt his heart jerk at the sad tone of her voice. Reaching across the table, he covered her hand with his. "Are you sure we went to school together? I'm sure I wouldn't have forgotten someone like you."  
  
Rory brightened a bit at the sexual innuendoes that laced in with that sentence. "At least you haven't changed."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"At Chilton, you always had that.. leering quality to your voice, whenever you talked to me."  
  
"Okay," Tristan said, still not following. They went to Chilton together.. but who was she? "Sorry, if I'm acting a bit dense here, but could you explain it to me?"  
  
Rory giggled at that. "Okay. I started Chilton a few weeks into our sophomore year. You were the big man on campus with the enormous ego, who found great entertainment in torturing and teasing me constantly. The night you were sent to North Carolina we were supposed to do Act Five of Romeo and Juliet..." her voice trailed off.  
  
Tristan was quiet as he processed this information and a few minutes later a lazy smirk spread across his handsome face. "Rory. Rory Gilmore."  
  
  
  
******  
  
  
  
.. That's all for today, folks. More.. soon.. I think.  
  
-- Shay  



	4. And Touch Me

Disclaimer : All things GG are not mine, but ASP's. No copyright infringement intended.  
Author : Shay (tlcforever@hotmail.com)  
Rating : PG-13  
Pairing : Established pairings for L/L & P/J. References to R/D & T/K. Eventual T/R   
Spoilers : Anything up through season 3 is fair game, though I'll probably be selective about it.  
Distribution : If you want it, take it. Just let me know.  
Feedback : Tames the wild beast. Or something. I love feedback and will love you if you give it. :)  
Authors Note : *jaw drops* Wow.. just.. wow. I never imagined so many reviews for the last chapter. Thank you all so much *wipes tear* You love me, you really love me. Hehe ;) Also, ignore any wrong information regarding New York. I've been there a handful of times, but it's always been in the summer and since I haven't been able to find the info I needed online, I'm taking creative liberties =D Enjoy!  
  
  
  
  


**Subtle Invitation  
Part 04.**  


  
  
  
  
  
Tristan watched with keen interest as Rory leaned over the bar a few hours later, talking animatedly with the bartender, who was chuckling at whatever she had to say. Of all the things he had imagined could take place that night, finding out that she was his date had never entered his mind. Not that it would, he hadn't even thought about her since his freshman year at Princeton, and that had only been because he had run into a girl that he had almost mistaken as her twin. It had taken time for him to forget about her after leaving Chilton that night, but he had done it and done it successfully.   
  
In high school, she had been intriguing to him. She had been so completely different from everyone he knew, so focused on being her own person and not conforming to society. When she had first came to Chilton, he had just seen her as another piece of ass, to put it crudely. As time had worn on, he had to admit it had become more then that, more then just a physical attraction. He wouldn't go as far as to say he had loved her, because truth be told, he, to this day, wasn't sure that such a thing existed. But there had been something there.. lust, probably. Or maybe it could all be attributed to his confidence, as she had been the first and only girl to outright reject him. Whatever it had been, was long gone, though he wouldn't deny that the physical attraction was definitely still there.  
  
She had grown into a beautiful woman. Of course, she had always been beautiful, but even more so now. Her dark brown hair was longer, her blue eyes bluer, her walk a little more confident, her tone stronger. She still had the wit that had stung him many times during their interactions at Chilton, but it no longer held as much malice as it once did. Once he realized who she was, she had demanded to know what he had been up to all these years, if he still talked to anyone from Chilton, among other things. A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. She had actually seemed excited to see him. That was definitely a step up from where they had left off ten years ago.  
  
He let his thoughts wander for a few more minutes, until Rory reappeared at their table, setting down the drinks she had gone over to the bar to get. He motioned his thanks and she rewarded him with a brilliant grin.  
  
"So you were looking pretty lost in thought over here," she commented, daintily sipping her drink. "Care to share?"  
  
In that split second it was like he suddenly reverted back to his sixteen year old self and a smirk appeared. "Just envisioning you and me in my hot tub," he said huskily, his blue eyes dancing.  
  
"Well, hold onto that image," Rory retorted. "Because that's the only place that's going to happen."  
  
Tristan's smirk faded into a grin as he leaned back in the seat. "I'm holding it," he said, gazing at her with mock hunger.  
  
At his look, Rory's face flushed red and she ducked her head, hiding behind a curtain of hair. When she looked back up, it was to down the rest of her drink. "It's really getting crowded in here."  
  
"Yeah it is," Tristan replied, glancing around the restaurant. "You wanna get out of here?"  
  
Rory hesitated, but only for a moment before nodding. "Sure."  
  
The two stood and pulled their coats back on and in a gentlemanly fashion, Tristan placed his hand on the small of her back, urging her forward. They stopped just to pay the bill, which Tristan insisted on paying for. A few of the customers sitting in the seats near the door waved good-bye to her and she returned them with a wave. Once outside, a childlike expression suddenly took over Rory's features. A glance at her made him chuckle and she gave him a weird look.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You. You look like your five."  
  
"I'll take that as a compliment, thank you," she said with a smile before tilting her face upwards to the sky, letting the thick snowflakes that were making their way down to the ground land in her open mouth. A few passerby's eyed her wearily, but it went unnoticed.  
  
Tristan was content with just watching her for a moment until an elderly man bumped into him, bringing him back down into reality. Taking Rory's arm, he pulled her towards the street where they stood to hail a cab. After a good ten minutes one finally came to a stop in front of them and they climbed in.   
  
"Central Park," Tristan said without even realizing it. Rory looked at him surprised.  
  
"Central Park?" She questioned, raising an inquisitive eyebrow.  
  
"Ice skating," was his response as he returned her look.   
  
Rory gestured down at her dress and high heels. "I can't go ice skating."  
  
Tristan's forehead creased for a moment before he gave her a huge grin. Leaning forward, he informed the driver of the change in destination and sat back, ignoring her questioning stare.  
  
A few minutes later they pulled up in front of a large apartment building. As the car came to a stop, he pulled her out of the car with him, stopping to pay the driver. After doing that, he led her through the doors, which were guarded by two large men in blue jackets.   
  
"Tristan.. where are we going?" Rory hissed at him as they came to a stop outside an elevator. He gave her a sideways glance and hit the up button. "Tristan?" She asked again.  
  
"You'll see. This will only take a few minutes," he replied as the elevator doors opened and they stepped inside. They waited in quiet for a mere couple seconds until the elevator dinged and the doors opened again, revealing another large door. Tristan pulled out his keys and opened the door to what appeared to be an apartment. Stepping inside, she tugged gently on his coat.  
  
"Where are we?"  
  
"Home sweet home," Tristan said with a grin, stepping further into the large room.   
  
"You brought me to your apartment?" Rory asked, her voice becoming indignant.   
  
"What, did you want to go to Paris instead?" Tristan joked, turning to face her.  
  
She gave him an exasperated look that was accompanied with a sigh. "What are we doing here?"  
  
"Well, you said yourself you couldn't go ice skating in that dress."  
  
"So?"  
  
"So, we're going to get you something else to wear." He said with a finality most people didn't question. But then again, Rory wasn't most people.  
  
"What, one of your other snow bunnies left overs?" She said with a raised brow.  
  
"Watch it, Mary. You might start sounding jealous," Tristan teased with a smile.  
  
Rory rolled her eyes, though was surprisingly pleased that he remembered his high school nickname for her. "You found me out." She deadpanned.  
  
Still with a smile, Tristan shed his coat and held out his hand to take hers. Reluctantly, she slipped it off and handed it to him. He tossed both over the arm of the leather couch that appeared as she followed him into the living area of the apartment. They continued on their trek as he led the way down a hall to where the bedrooms were. Rory just gazed around, taking in the posh decor. They rounded a corner and she came to an abrupt halt as he pushed open the door to the master bedroom. It was large, polished wooden floors covering the span of the room. A huge bed sat in the middle, also wooden, with navy bedding, double french doors were on one side that she suspected led to a balcony. There was another door that stood slightly ajar, showing that it was indeed a bathroom. Next to that was another door, which is where Tristan had disappeared into. A few seconds later he reappeared, a bundle of clothing in his arms. He motioned her into the room and then dumped the clothes onto the bed. She cautiously approached, nervous to even be in the same vincity as Tristan with a bed nearby, as her mind kept reminding her of how he had been in high school.  
  
He glanced up at her as she finally reached the foot of the bed, where he stood. His blue eyes sparkled and he leaned in closer to her. "I always knew I'd get you in my bedroom one day, Mary."  
  
Rory tried to ignore the shiver that ran down her spine at his seductive tone and she stepped back with narrowed eyes. "Keep that up and I'm leaving."  
  
Tristan swallowed the grin that threatened to appear and he held up his hands in mock surrender. "Okay, okay. I'll be on my best behavior. And if I'm not, you can spank me," He added devilishly.  
  
"Ugh," Rory uttered in disgust, smacking his arm. "Don't you ever stop?"  
  
"Hmm.. nope," Tristan replied, tearing his gaze from her to the lump of clothes on his bed. "So anyway, we need to get you ready to go skating. These look like they'll fit you," He said, holding out a pair of dark grey sweat pants to her. She hesitantly took them, amazed at how soft the cloth was.  
  
He continued going through some of the clothes until he located what he was looking for. "Ah, here," He said, handing her a matching pullover. "You can change in here. I'll take the hall bathroom."  
  
She mutely nodded, watching as he grabbed a pair of khaki's and a dark blue shirt off the chair under the window and then left the room, closing the door behind him. Gazing around, internally wondering why she was here and how the hell she had ended up on a date with Tristan. Fate most definitely had an odd way of doing things. Shaking her head to clear it, she sat down on the small cedar chest that sat at the end of his bed and pulled off her shoes. She contemplated taking off the nylons, but rationalized that it would probably be warmer if she didn't and then slipped the sweat pants on. They were a few sizes to big, but not to the point that they were falling off. Plus they were warm, which was enough for her. Biting her lip, she pulled her dress over her head and quickly replaced it with the sweatshirt, inhaling deeply when it was in place. The scent was that of soap, laundry detergent and a faint cologne that she couldn't place. It was the smell she had associated with Tristan while his arm had been around her shoulders the entire ride from the restaurant to his apartment. And she was surprised to realize that it calmed her.   
  
A knock on the door pulled her out of her reverie. "You dressed, Rory?" Tristan's voice called from the other side.  
  
"Yeah," she called back, putting her focus in folding her dress as he entered the room. He was quiet for a minute and finally she looked up and he smiled.  
  
"We better get going."  
  
Rory nodded but stopped when she glanced down at her nearly bare feet. "Um, Tristan?"  
  
He turned to her and following her gaze, frowned. "Oh, yeah." He paused, pulling open the top drawer of one of the three dressers in the room and tossed her a pair of socks. "I've got a pair of shoes you can wear," he said as he headed down the hallway. Her dress and shoes in hand, she jogged to catch up to him, slugging his arm playfully when he chuckled at the sight of her in the oversized sweat suit. He rummaged through a hall closet and straightened up to his full height a few moments later, a pair of boots in hand. He passed them over to her, before grabbing another pair and sitting down to put them on himself. They sat in silence as they laced up and she glared at him when he pulled a pair of skates from inside the closet.   
  
"What do you think you're doing?" She asked, tapping a foot impatiently.  
  
Tristan gave her a questioning look. "Getting my skates?"  
  
Rory crossed her arms, trying desperately to keep a straight face. "Nuh-uh. If I have to wear rented skates then so do you."  
  
Sighing, Tristan dropped the skates back onto the closet floor. "I let you borrow my clothes and you're going to make me wear those hideous things?" He asked, also trying not to laugh. The horrified look that was present on her face was also mirrored on his own.  
  
"Hey, this was your idea," Rory protested.  
  
"Touché," Tristan conceded, picking up their coats. "Shall we go?"  
  
"We shall," Rory said with a smile as he linked arms with her. It was amazing, was her only thought as they made their way out to his car, how they had only met a few hours ago, after spending ten years apart, and were already completely comfortable in each others presence.  
  
  
*****  
  
  
"I have to confess something," Rory said in a low voice as she and Tristan stood on the edge of the ice.   
  
"What?" Tristan asked, glancing down at her, surprised to see her shaking. "You cold?"  
  
"What? No," Rory said, momentarily confused.  
  
"Then what is it?"  
  
"I..." Rory began, flushing slightly. "I can't skate."  
  
Tristan's eyebrow shot up. "You can't skate?"  
  
"No," she reaffirmed. "My mom used to drag me out to the lake every year, but I never quite got the hang of it. I can walk and I can stand without falling down, but you ask me to move and I become one with the ice."  
  
"And you didn't tell me this before, because?"  
  
Rory glanced down at the snowy ground before looking back at him with a smile. "Well, you seemed to excited to go and I didn't want to go home.. It's okay, you can skate. I'll just sit down on that bench and have some coffee and watch you."  
  
Tristan was silent for a moment before shaking his head. "No way. We came here to skate, so we're going to skate."  
  
"But I can't-"  
  
"I'll teach you," Tristan said firmly, cutting her objection off. He reached down and grabbed her mittened hand. "Come on, there's not many people here and I promise I won't let go of your hand unless you say so."  
  
Rory's expression was dubious. "I don't know..."  
  
"For me?" He pouted and she let out a light giggle.  
  
"Okay. But if I break anything, I'm sending you the bill."  
  
"And I'll gladly pay it. Come on."  
  
Rory allowed him to lead her into the ice where there were only two other couples skating around as the snow fell down on them. They came to a stop a few feet out and he turned to her. "We'll take it slow at first, but once you get more comfortable, we're gonna pick up the pace."  
  
She nodded and the two set off, hand in hand, under the falling snow and soft lights. After a few times around the rink, Rory seemed to finally be getting the hang of it and they started going a little faster. Eventually the two of them were flying around the ice, talking and laughing loudly, never even noticing as the other patrons left. Tired, Rory let go of Tristan's hand and plopped down in the center of the ice. Tristan in turn, gave her a huge grin.  
  
"You sit there. I'm going to show you what I can do."  
  
Rory watched in astonishment, as she never in a hundred years would've imagined seeing Tristan DuGrey spinning around an ice rink. He wasn't doing anything fancy, but it was enough to impress her. As he came to a stop in front of her, she clapped loudly. He took an over exaggerated bow and reached over to help her up.   
  
"Wow. You're just a regular Elvis Stoiko, aren't you?" Rory giggled as they made their way back to land.  
  
Tristan shrugged, dropping down onto a bench to pull the skates off. "My aunt was a figure skater. I used to stay with her and my uncle up in Canada every winter break and I picked up a few things. You say anything to anyone, I'll have to hunt you down." He finished with a smirk.  
  
"Our lips are sealed," She sang slightly, giggling at her off key voice.  
  
"Please, anything but the GoGo's," Tristan groaned just as he finished tying his shoe.  
  
Rory let out an gasp. "I am officially offended. The GoGo's are an amazing group."   
  
"Sure, thirty years ago."  
  
Gasping again, Rory gave him her best wounded look. "You might be able to get away with that around me, mister, but don't you ever, and I mean ever, dare say such things around my mother."  
  
"Got me meeting the parents already, huh, Mary?" Tristan leered.  
  
"Ugh," Rory grunted, standing up. "That's it, I'm leaving."  
  
Tristan's hand on her arm stopped her from getting any further then she was. "I apologize, Ms. Gilmore. Please, allow me take you out for coffee before I escort you home."  
  
Slowly Rory turned around, a smile playing with the corners of her mouth. "Coffee, you say?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
"And you're buying?"  
  
"Naturally."  
  
Rory pretended to ponder this for a moment before latching onto his arm. "What are we waiting for?"  
  
  
  
****  
  
  
It was after two am that Rory stumbled into her apartment, worn out, but smiling from her time with Tristan. As incredible as it seemed, the two of them really did have a lot in common. Sure he could still be the arrogant sixteen year old she remember from days gone by, but there was also an underlying softer side to him, one she had the feeling wasn't allowed out enough. She hung her coat up in the closet quietly, slipping her feet out of the boots Tristan had insisted she wear inside, despite her many protests. She padded across the apartment and into the kitchen where she was not at all surprised to see Lane, sitting at the kitchen table, flipping through a magazine.  
  
"Well, look who it is," she remarked as Rory came in, not once looking up.  
  
"You're up late," was all she replied with.  
  
"I was waiting for you to come in, ranting about how stupid your date was, but I'm getting the feeling that's not going to happen," Lane said, finally glancing up and eyeing her friends clothes. "I could've swore you left here in a dress."  
  
Rory blushed at her friends insinuation. "It's not like that."  
  
A smile appeared on Lane's face and she leaned across the table. "So? Spill."  
  
"Tomorrow," Rory said, standing up. "I'm tired."  
  
"Cop out," Lane accused.  
  
"Yep," Rory grinned. "Goodnight, Lane."  
  
"I'm waking you up at six, be ready to spill!" Lane called after her and then broke into a huge smile. Things seemed to be going the way she had hoped.  
  
  
****  
  
  
TBC..   
  
-- Shay  
  
4/15  
  
  



	5. You Don't Have

Disclaimer : All things GG are not mine, but ASP's. No copyright infringement intended.  
Author : Shay (tlcforever@hotmail.com)  
Rating : PG-13  
Pairing : Established pairings for L/L & P/J. References to R/D & T/K. Eventual T/R   
Spoilers : Anything up through season 3 is fair game, though I'll probably be selective about it.  
Distribution : If you want it, take it. Just let me know.  
Feedback : Tames the wild beast. Or something. I love feedback and will love you if you give it. :)  
Authors Note : Thanks for the reviews! You guys are the greatest..   
  
  
  
  
  


**Subtle Invitation  
Part 05.**  


  
  
  
  
  
Rory sighed and stifled a yawn as she sat in the kitchen, staring at the coffee maker, willing it to brew faster. As promised, Lane had waken her at six that morning, blatantly ignoring that it was a Saturday, and demanded to know every second of her date the previous night. She had literally fallen off the bed when Rory had told her that her mystery date was in fact, not so mysterious. The fact that it had been Tristan had set Lane off and as much as Rory loved her friend, she would be the first to admit she was relieved when she had gone out to do a little grocery shopping. And then shortly thereafter, her mother had called, and began her interrogation, only, thankfully, to be silenced by Luke, who had taken the phone from her, apologized and hung up. Seriously, if she knew one date would cause this much fuss, she wouldn't have done it.  
  
But then images from last night came flooding back, and she knew she still would've gone. Everything had been great.. Tristan had changed so much, but at the same time, he was still the same guy she knew in high school. Arrogant, cocky, flirtatious... gorgeous. Never in a million years would she admit it, but something about him had set butterflies flying in her stomach.   
  
She came out of her daydreaming when the distinctive sound of gurgling came from the coffee maker, indicating that it was finally done. Standing, she refilled her cup and headed into the living room to catch up on some work.  
  
  
  
******  
  
  
  
"So?" Josh asked the following Monday, a grin stretching across his face as he waltzed into his cousins office.  
  
Tristan merely glanced up from his computer with a raised eyebrow. "So, what?"  
  
Josh rolled his eyes and flopped down in a chair. "So, how did things go Friday night?"  
  
"Fine," was Tristan's halfhearted answer as his gaze returned to the computer screen.  
  
"You ass," Josh chuckled, sitting back in his chair. "Come on, give me something to go on here."  
  
Sighing heavily, Tristan pushed away from the desk and leaned back in the leather chair, his hands behind his head. "It was fine, okay? We met, we ate, we went skating, we went out for coffee, I took her home, the end."  
  
"What happened to dinner, movie and putting her in a cab?" Josh asked, his expression amused.  
  
Tristan shook his head in resignation, knowing full well that his nosy cousin wouldn't stop prying until he gave him the whole story. "We had a good time, alright? Neither of us wanted to go home after dinner, so went skating. It's not a big deal."  
  
"Are you going to go out again?" Josh inquired, a twinkle in his eye.  
  
"I don't know," Tristan stated briskly, turning back to his work, officially dismissing his cousin. Josh just shook his head in amusement before leaving the office, triumph running through his veins.  
  
  
******  
  
  
"You've got a call on line three," Melinda's voice echoed through the intercom, startling Tristan out of his working zone. Replying with a thin thank you, he picked up the phone and hit the line three button.  
  
"DuGrey Enterprises," He greeted in a monotone voice.  
  
There was a pause on the other end and then a deep breath. "Tristan, hi."  
  
Tristan faltered for a moment. "Rory?"  
  
"Yeah, hi. I hope I'm not bothering you. I called your apartment, but the maid, or whoever she was, said you were at work and gave me the number, so I called. Are you busy? I can call back later, if you're busy." Rory babbled from her desk at work.  
  
"Rory, breathe," Tristan teased lightly, settling back in his chair. "I'm not busy. To what do I owe the pleasure of this phone call?"  
  
"Right, sorry," Rory sighed, silently berating herself for being such an idiot. "I'm just calling because, well, I had a good time Friday and I was wondering if you'd like to meet for lunch of something, today, next week, I don't know, sometime."  
  
Tristan couldn't help the grin that spread across his face. Rory was asking him out? Their roles had definitely reversed compared to ten years ago. "My, my, my, how things have changed."  
  
Rory groaned on the other end. "You know what, forget it."  
  
The smile previous etched onto Tristan's face slowly faded into his patented smirk. "Forget it? Impossible. This is a monumental moment. Rory Gilmore has finally succumbed to my charms and asked little ole me out on a date."  
  
"I revoke my offer. I don't think there would be enough room to fit the three of us in one room."  
  
"Three of us. Wow, Mary, I didn't think you got down like that," Tristan replied, his eyes twinkling, knowing full well she was blushing on the other end.  
  
Which, in fact, she most definitely was. "I was talking about you and your ego, Romeo."  
  
"Of course you were," Tristan rebuked, certain he was getting under her skin. Sure enough, he was right as another groan echoed through the phone line.  
  
"Okay, I'm hanging up now."  
  
"So, lunch?"  
  
A smile appeared on Rory's face across town. "If you're free."  
  
"I'm always free for you, Mary."  
  
"And there's that deplorable name again. You do know you're not sixteen anymore, right?"  
  
"Oh, I know," Tristan replied, his voice suggestive.  
  
Rory blushed once again. "Stop it. So, when?"  
  
"Today? We could meet at that place we went to Friday around, I don't know, twelve thirtyor so?"  
  
"Sounds good to me," Rory agreed. "I'll see you later, then."  
  
"Yes, you will. Good-bye, Rory Gilmore."  
  
Rory shook her head, but replied. "Bye, Lughead."  
  
  
******  
  
  
Two and a half hours later, Rory, donning her winter coat and hat, appeared in the doorway of her office. "I'm taking my lunch break, Susanna. Anyone calls, take a message. If my mom calls, tell her to call my cell."  
  
Susanna Jenkins, Rory's assistant, nodded at her friend. "Will do. What time should I tell them to call back at?"  
  
"One thirty? Two? Later this afternoon?" Rory contemplated, her face thoughtful.  
  
"Two thirty it is," Susanna decided, smiling up at Rory.  
  
Rory returned the smile. "That works. I'll be back later."   
  
"Sure," Susanna replied, going back to her work as Rory disappeared out the double glass doors and into the whirling December wind.  
  
  
******  
  
  
"So, any ideas about lunch?" Josh asked once the conference meeting was over, leaving just him and Tristan in the room as they cleared the table.  
  
Tristan scratched the back of his neck and gave his cousin a apologetic look. "Actually, I'm meeting someone for lunch, so you're on your own today."  
  
Josh narrowed his eyes. "Meeting someone? Since when do you meet someone for lunch?"  
  
"Since now, okay?" Tristan said, clearly annoyed.  
  
"Who is it?" Josh asked, very much intrigued.  
  
"A friend."  
  
"Aw, c'mon, Tristan. You're abandoning me for someone else, I think I deserve to know who you're leaving me for," Josh pouted playfully, causing his cousin to roll his eyes.  
  
"The girl from the other night, okay? Don't say anything," Tristan warned, tucking the last paper into a folder and turning to glare at Josh.  
  
Josh put his hands in the air, in mock resignation, "I wasn't going to."  
  
"Right. Shit," Tristan cursed, glancing at his watch. "I gotta get going. I'll see you later."  
  
"Aye, aye, captain," Josh saluted before sauntering out of the room. Tristan watched him go and sighed.  
  
  
*****  
  
  
Rory sat at the bar inside the restaurant, idly running her finger around the rim of her coffee cup, glancing every so often towards the door, hoping to see Tristan standing there, looking for her.   
  
But alas, it was twenty minutes after the appointed time they had set and he still was nowhere to be seen. Sighing, she handed Tim, the bartender and a good friend to her these past few months, enough money to cover her bill of three cups of coffee and stood up, pulling her coat on. Turning to retrieve her scarf, which had fallen onto the floor, her body tensed as the scent of cologne assaulted her senses and a husky male voice whispered in her ear.  
  
"Going somewhere, Mary?"  
  
Standing abruptly, she narrowly missed hitting his nose with her shoulder. Moving to look at him, she frowned, her eyes hardened. "You're late," she said pointedly.  
  
Tristan stood before her, an apologetic smirk on his face, his hands shoved into the pockets of his dress pants, his hair tousled even more then usual, his eyes bright blue, removing any anger she had felt earlier. "Sorry," he shrugged. "There was a pile up on the bridge. Forgive me?"  
  
Rory's face fell at the mention of the car accident, her heart pounding wildly in her chest. Two years later and even the slightest mention of a crash made her feel as though it had happened all over again. Reaching out to grab the bar in order to steady herself, she managed a small. "Oh, okay."  
  
Tristan watched her, concern washing over his features. "You okay?" He asked, taken aback by the sudden paleness of her face.  
  
Closing her eyes to collect her bearings, she nodded when they reopened. "Fine. I'm fine."  
  
Sensing there was a need for a barrier breaker, Tristan ran his eyes up and down her body and let a smirk of approval cross his face. "Yes, indeed, you are."  
  
His tactic had the desired effect, causing her to flush and smack his arm. "You... you... you're incorrigible," she finally managed to spit out.  
  
"Actually, I think the word you're looking for is 'amazing'. Or perhaps 'magnificent.'" Tristan replied, settling down on a stool, a smile still present on his face.  
  
Rory pretended to think it over, shaking her head. "Nope. Incorrigible pretty much covers it. Of course there is also annoying, arrogant and quite a few other adjectives."  
  
Tristan clasped his heart in mock hurt. "Oh how you wound me."  
  
"I try," Rory said saucily, taking a deep gulp of the now full cup of coffee Tim had just placed in front of her.  
  
"Now, Mary, is that any way to talk to an old friend?" Tristan asked, feigning innocence.  
  
Rory glanced around the restaurant and then back at him, her expression confused. "Friend? Where?"  
  
Tristan managed to look considerably offended but then broke out into a wide grin. "I don't think my ego is going to handle all these beatings you give it, Gilmore."  
  
"Good," was Rory's cheeky reply as she glanced over at him, her face mirroring the smile on his.  
  
  
  
*****  
  
  
  
Rory stumbled into her apartment later that evening, her face glowing with happiness, although confusion was very much apparent in her blue eyes. What had started off just being two friends meeting for lunch had ultimately turned into the two of them, herself and Tristan, spending the rest of the day together. The thought of returning to work for the afternoon hadn't even entered her mind when he suggested they attend a poetry reading uptown. That had been six hours ago. After the reading, he had announced he was starving, so they had stopped by a small but lively Italian place not too far from his apartment for an early dinner. It was then that she had spotted a bookstore, one that had just opened but had been recommended by many to her, and the two of them had spent the next couple hours there, browsing about, ending up in the romance fiction section, mocking some of the corny book covers, laughing at the clichéd descriptions on the back. Rory had found herself doubled over in laughter as Tristan 'acted' out some of the silly scenes from some of the books.   
  
After that they had agreed to get some coffee in the stores cafe, where they had sat for quite some time, just enjoying each others company, entertaining each other with stories of their lives and jokes they had heard. She had learned more about him, more about what had happened since that night he had disappeared from her life and was shipped off to military school. She found out he had attended Princeton and was now running the New York branch of his fathers company. She had told him how she had attended Yale along with Paris, which had led to her spilling the beans about Paris and her now cousin, Jess. Tristan had found the shenanigans of Stars Hollow to be highly entertaining and made her promise that next them they were both in Connecticut, that she would show him around her hometown, which she more then happily complied to.  
  
Time had seemed to fly by so fast that she was shocked when he informed her it was almost seven. Since she had taken a cab from work to the restaurant earlier that day, he had been adamant about driving her home. And now here she was, standing in the doorway of her and Lane's apartment, her lower lip tucked between her teeth in contemplation.  
  
The thought had hit her like a ton of bricks, almost before she even realized it. She wanted to see more of Tristan. And later that night, when she lay in her bed awake, she would come to realize that not only did she want to see more of him, a burning in her chest told her she wanted to relive that brief moment at Madeline's party so many years ago, and feel his lips on hers once again.  
  
  
  
******  
  
  
Woo, an update! A-freakin-mazing, I tell ya. You guys have been so good at reviewing, I feel as though you should get some kind of reward or something. Hmm... How abouts you guys get me to 80 reviews and I'll have another update for ya this week? (Meaning by Sunday =D). Work for you? If so, you know what to do. (I'm such a review whore. Sigh).   
  
Hope you liked!  
  
-- Shay  
  
5/15   



	6. To Be

Disclaimer : All things GG are not mine, but ASP's. No copyright infringement intended.  
Author : Shay (tlcforever@hotmail.com)  
Rating : PG-13  
Pairing : Established pairings for L/L & P/J. References to R/D & T/K. Eventual T/R   
Spoilers : Anything up through season 3 is fair game, though I'll probably be selective about it.  
Distribution : If you want it, take it. Just let me know.  
Feedback : Tames the wild beast. Or something. I love feedback and will love you if you give it. :)  
  
Authors Note : _WOW_. You guys are good! Hee, thankya. Like I promised, here's chapter six. As requested, I have included some Tristan parts, insight to his thinking and what-not. And to those of you who didn't realize/remember why she reacted to hearing about the car accident or who she was mourning, all I can say is go back and read chapter _one_ carefully, it's all there =D Enjoy, you earned it! :)  
  
  
  
  
  


**Subtle Invitation  
Part 06.  
**

  
  
  
  
  
Tristan sighed, running a hand through his unruly blonde hair. He hated being put on hold. Shifting the phone from one ear to the other, he sat back in the plush leather couch that donned the living room of his apartment. It was early evening, a rare night he was home before ten pm, and he was on the phone with the imbeciles at LaGuardia Airport as he tried to secure his tickets back to Hartford so he could spend Christmas with his family. The holiday was rapidly approaching, no more then a week and a half away now, leaving him scrambling about to get things in order. He had been planning on catching a ride with Josh home, but his parents had changed their destination at the last minute, opting instead to spend the time at their cabin in Toronto, rather then with family. And since Josh would be joining them there, he was left to his own devices. A clicking noise rang in his ear and the aggravated voice of the woman at the airport returned.  
  
"Mr. DuGrey?"  
  
"Yes?" He replied, not even trying to conceal his distaste for the way he was being treated.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry! Could you please hold?" She asked again, clicking the phone again before he could answer.  
  
Tristan let out an extremely annoyed growl out, slamming a fist into the cushion next to him. He was getting a headache. Twenty-five fucking minutes he had been sitting there, listening to this insipid Christmas music while waiting for the airport to decide he was important enough to help. He should have just ordered tickets online like he had intended. But no, he had never gotten around to it and by the time he had remembered, he was already home, his laptop hidden in the locked closet in his office at work. And there was no way in hell he was going back out tonight. The wind was howling outside, snow flying like crazy, dumping even more of the white stuff on them then they already were cursed with.   
  
He laid back on the couch, staring up at the off white ceiling, letting his mind wander. Might as well, it's not like anyone was helping him at the moment anyway. The whirling white snow could be seen through the large window that was situated across the room from where he was and his first coherent thought was of Rory, of the last time it had snowed, the night they had been, by some weird twist of fate, brought back into each others lives. A light chuckled escaped his throat. Rory Gilmore. Who the hell would've thought it. She was exactly as he remembered her, but even more... enthralling, for the lack of a better word. She was an amazing person. She just had this way about her, this trait that pulled you in and never let go. It was exactly that hold that had driven him near a state of madness at Chilton and the second half of his junior year he had spent at military school. It had been the summer before senior year that he vowed to break loose and forget about her, because certainly she wasn't sitting at home in Connecticut thinking about him.   
  
And break free, he had. He had met a girl, Lauren something or another, at an all school meeting at the beginning of senior year, and they had hit it off. She had managed to erase all thoughts of Rory from his mind and he was happier for it. There had been the incident freshman year at Princeton, but he had moved past that as well. And now, ten years later, she was back in his life, back to controlling his thoughts without even knowing it.   
  
The day they had spent together, just four days earlier, had been one of the best of his life. He felt so free when he was around her, something that was so rare he hadn't even realized that was what it was until the next afternoon as he sat mulling the day over. She had once again enraptured him and that was definitely something to be wary of. He didn't exactly want a replay of before, didn't want to have to try and forget her again. Maybe, he tried to reason with himself, if they were brought back into each others lives, it meant they were going to stay in each others lives? And somehow, that thought made him feel better, more confident with whatever was going on between them.  
  
A large, almost goofy grin spread across his face at that. There was something going on between them. There was something going on between him and Rory Gilmore. If someone had told him that would happen, five, ten years earlier, he would've smirked, inwardly knowing it never would. But now... she had his interest and he had hers. He knew it. After all, there was no way she would ask him out _twice_ if she wasn't interested, right? Yep, that's right, she had asked him out twice. The first time being lunch on Monday, the second, when she had called earlier that day, asking if he'd join her for dinner before he went back to Hartford. That date was set for the following Wednesday and for some reason, he knew he'd end up seeing her before then as well.  
  
He was suddenly jerked out of his thoughts when the employee at the airport came back on the line, deciding now was the appropriate time to help him.   
  
  
  
******  
  
  
  
"You're going out with him _again_?" Lane asked two days later, standing in the doorway of her friends room.   
  
Rory, who was fastening a glittering gold necklace around her neck, glanced at her friend out of the corner of her eye. "Yes, I am." She said, turning so that she was facing Lane.  
  
Lane bit the inside of her lip to hide the triumphant smile that threatened to break through. "I thought you guys were going out Wednesday night?"  
  
"We are," Rory confirmed, disappearing into her closet to find an appropriate dress for tonight. "But he called earlier and said his cousin had gotten tickets for 'Cabaret' tonight and asked if I wanted to go."  
  
"Hmmm," Lane murmured, settling down on the bed.  
  
"Why 'hmmm'?" Rory questioned, reappearing, a dark blue dress draped over one arm and an off white one draped over the other.   
  
"No reason. That one," Lane answered to Rory's silent question to which dress she should wear.  
  
"Thanks," Rory replied but then gave her an irritated look. "Your hmmm had reason. What was it?"  
  
"Nooothing," Lane smiled innocently. "I just think it's interesting that you were so adamant about not going out ever again and now here you are, going on what, your third date with this guy? A guy, may I remind you, you once claimed to hate."  
  
"He's changed," Rory shrugged. "I thought you'd be happy. This was all your idea in the first place, remember?"  
  
"So it was," Lane agreed. "Are you guys going to see each other over Christmas?"  
  
"We haven't discussed that yet," Rory sighed, pausing in her hair brushing. "Maybe. I don't know."  
  
"You sighed," Lane exclaimed, her eyes wide with mock surprise. "You want to see him over Christmas. Don't you?!"  
  
Rory rolled her eyes in response. "So what if I do?"  
  
"You really like him, don't you?" Lane asked after a moment of silence, the teasing tone gone, just one of concern in its place.  
  
There was no immediate reply, but the silence was confirmation enough for her. Rory turned to look at her, her blue eyes in a state of confusion, her forehead all bunched up. She bit her lip and after a few seconds of standing there, staring at Lane, she reluctantly nodded. "I do. It's crazy, though, isn't it? He only came back into my life not even two weeks ago and I already can't get him out of my head."  
  
"Sounds like love to me," Lane teased in attempt to lighten the mood.   
  
Rory said nothing, just stood there in thought.  
  
  
  
******  
  
  
  
"So I finally get to meet the elusive Rory," Josh said with a grin as he joined his already dressed and ready to go cousin in the kitchen of their apartment.  
  
Tristan took a long gulp of his soda and rolled his eyes. "Not a word about you fixing us up."  
  
"I wouldn't dream of it," Josh replied, his grin intensifying.   
  
"Sure you wouldn't."  
  
"So me and Leslie will meet you guys there?" Josh asked, changing the subject.  
  
"Yeah," Tristan responded, screwing the cap back on the bottle of Coke and tossing it back in the fridge. "Show starts at 9?"  
  
"9:15. We'll meet you in the front lobby."  
  
"All right, I'm out of here then," Tristan said, grabbing his coat from its place on the back of the stool he was sitting on.  
  
"See ya in a few," Josh called after him, smiling when the door shut behind his cousin.  
  
  
  
******  
  
  
  
"I'll get it," Lane called when the buzzer from downstairs rang some time later. Rory was in her room, trying in vain to apply the little makeup she wore while talking to her energetic mother on the phone at the same time. She hit the intercom button to ask who it was.  
  
"It's Tristan," the husky voice replied.  
  
"Hi, Tristan. Rory's still getting ready, you can come up if you want," Lane said, crossing her fingers that he would decide to do just that. She wanted to meet the guy who had made her friend smile again.  
  
"Sure," Tristan said back, grabbing the door when Lane hit the unlock button. He wandered past the main desk, flashing a brilliant smile at the blonde who was working there. She giggled, blushed and went back to her work as he continued towards the elevator. He hit the third floor button and let out a deep breath when the doors closed. A few seconds later he was wandering up and down the hall in search of the apartment number Rory had given him. Though he had dropped her off both times they had gone out, he hadn't ever been inside the building and wasn't quite sure where her apartment was located. Finally he came across it, way down at the end of the hall. He ran a hand through his hair, a nervous habit he had, inhaled loudly and gave a quick knock on the door.  
  
Almost immediately the door opened to reveal a small Korean woman who smiled brightly at him. "You must be Tristan. I'm Lane, Rory's roommate. Come on in."  
  
"Thanks," He said, stepping into the front hall of the apartment. From where he stood he could see into the living room which was decorated in light blue and beige. To the left was a door that he assumed was a closet and to the right was the darkened kitchen. "Nice place you got here," he finally said, in attempt to get a conversation going. Standing there with Lane just staring at him thoughtfully was beginning to make him nervous.  
  
"Thanks. Rory's grandparents bought it for us. Well, her, but I live here too." Lane babbled before shaking her head. "Sorry. Have a seat," she said as they entered the living room.   
  
Tristan did as he was told, sitting down on the comfortable looking navy couch, glancing around the room. It wasn't messy, per say, but definitely a contrast from his museum like living room. Lane shot him an apologetic look as she stood up again. "I'm sorry, I'll go see if Rory's ready yet."  
  
"Thanks," He mumbled, though she had already left the room. Alone, he took the chance to get a better look at the place where Rory lived. There was a good sized TV taking up the space in the entertainment center, a dvd player sitting on the shelf above it. There was a huge rack next to it that held a wide assortment of DVD's and CD's. A state of the art cd player was on the other side of the entertainment center, pictures littering both the top of the entertainment center, but also the top of the stereo's speakers. Standing, he walked over to them, smiling at the picture of a much younger Rory and who he assumed was a much younger Lane. There were pictures of Rory with large groups of people, obviously from her graduation from Yale. One with her grandparents, many with a woman he figured was her mother, some with Paris and a dark haired guy that had to be Jess. There was also a picture of Paris and Jess standing beside each other, Paris decked out in a white wedding gown, a goofy look on her face, one that he had never seen in all the years he had known her.   
  
"Hey," Rory's soft voice came from behind him and he turned, a smile spreading across his face as he took the image of her in. Her long hair was down, a few soft curls gently framing her face. She had on a dark blue dress that accentuated her beautiful eyes.   
  
"Hey," He replied, unable to tear his gaze from her. "You look... amazing."  
  
Rory flushed and glanced down, muttering a quiet thank you.  
  
"You ready to go?" Tristan asked, stepping closer to her, nearly sighing in contentment as he caught a whiff of her sweet scented perfume.  
  
She nodded, finally meeting his eyes again and smiled. "Let me grab my coat and we can leave."  
  
  
  
******  
  
  
  
Things that night went smoothly. Josh and Rory hit it off right away and the foursome enjoyed the show immensely. Afterwards Tristan suggested they grab a bite to eat and drove around the city until they found a quaint diner that was still open, despite the late hour. There they had sat talking for over an hour, laughing as Josh and Tristan took turns letting the others date in on little secrets the the other had done as a child. It was nearly three in the morning when Tristan came to a stop in front of Rory's building.  
  
"You want to come up?" She asked, surprising the both of them, but just not wanting the evening to end.  
  
"But it's so soon," Tristan protested with a smirk on his face, resulting in her smacking his arm.  
  
"For coffee, DuGrey. Get your head out of the gutter."  
  
Smirk still firmly in place, he turned the ignition off and turned to face her. "It's three in the morning, Mary. You drink coffee now and you'll never get to sleep."  
  
"That's the point," Rory informed him with a grin. "I have to be up for work in three hours, it'd be pointless for me to go to bed now."  
  
"I probably shouldn't stay, but I'll walk you up," Tristan replied.  
  
"Okay," she chirped, unbuckling her seat belt and waiting for him to do the same before she climbed out of the car. Carefully sidestepping a pile of snow that sat on the curb, she met him on his side of the vehicle. There, without even realizing it, the two of them linked hands as she led him into the mostly darkened building.   
  
They made small talk on the elevator ride up to her floor, mostly discussing show they had seen earlier that night and how much like Josh he was, Rory had said, despite is protests that they were very much different.  
  
Once they stopped outside the apartment door, Rory turned to face him, her back against the wooden door. They exchanged smiles. "I had fun tonight, thank you."  
  
"You don't have to thank me, Rory. I had fun, too."  
  
"I'll see you Wednesday, then?"  
  
"You bet. I'll pick you up around 7."  
  
"Okay," Rory grinned, which faded as her eyes met his, shock running through her as she recognized the look that resided there. Hunger. For her.   
  
Tristan's mind had stopped working as their eyes met, his hand took on a life of its own as it came up and cupped her cheek within itself. Rory bit her lip, instinctively leaning into his touch. Their gaze never broke as he silently asked for permission, which was given without even a moments hesitation.   
  
Slowly, almost painfully, they leaned towards each other, their lips meeting in an explosive kiss. It deepened without either of them forcing it to, their tongues meeting and dueling for possession of the other. Simultaneous sighs escaped both of them as Tristan pressed Rory into the door, his one hand still on her cheek, the other cradling her head as their mouths continued to dance with one another. Rory's hand was curled into a fist, holding onto the lapels of his jacket tightly, as though she never wanted to let go. The other, while tentative, made its way up his back and into the soft locks of his hair.   
  
They were so lost in each other that they didn't notice when the lady across the hall exited her apartment to head off to work. They didn't notice when the lights flickered, as it had once again begun to snow outside. It was only when the loud bang of a door slammed, followed by the sounds of glass breaking against a wall that they did break apart, their breathing labored.  
  
"Wow," was the only coherent word that would form in Rory's brain as one hand came up and gently touch her kiss swollen lips.  
  
Tristan nodded his agreement, scratching the back of his neck as he searched for the words to say. "I.. I should probably go. Work. You, too. Work, I mean."  
  
"Yeah," Rory said softly, glancing down at the carpeted floor and then back at him. "I'll... Wednesday."  
  
"I'll call you," Tristan promised as she shoved his hands into the pocket of his pants.   
  
"Okay."  
  
"Night, Rory," He said as he turned to leave. She stood there watching him until he was halfway down the hall.  
  
"Tristan, wait," she called, causing him to turn around in mid step.  
  
"What --" He began, but was silenced as she was suddenly in front of him, kissing him again.  
  
It didn't last nearly as long as the first, but meant so much more. When they broke apart, she smiled. "Sweet dreams, Tristan," she said before heading back down the hall and disappearing into her apartment, leaving him standing there, a grin spreading across his features.  
  
"Sweet dreams. Oh yeah, I'll definitely have sweet dreams tonight," he murmured to himself, stepping into the elevator.  
  
  
  
******  
  
  
Tada! You like? I hope so! But trust me, this is the calm before the storm, so to speak. Can't have a story without some drama, now can we? But it'll all end happily, promise =D Review and review some more, because it's the nice thing to do! I should more next week or so. :)  
  
  
-- Shay  
6/15  



End file.
